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by Madelyn Miller

Some people travel to see historical landmarks.  Others go for outdoor adventure.  Many enjoy rustic scenery.  Some choose cruise ports where there are great duty-free deals.

 I am not in any of these groups.

 My first priority in planning the ultimate vacation is food.  I choose destinations known for gourmet restaurants or special kinds of cuisines.

 But the best strategy for a serious gourmand is to attend food and wine festivals.  At these, top chefs and vineyards showcase their talents, ingredients and best recipes. (Tip: even if you're not a serious wine drinker, they always have great food at wine tastings).

 This may not be the best vacation for health nuts or fat-gram counters, but it is a wonderful way to experience a wide variety of extraordinary foods in a cost-effective way.

Here are a few of my favorites:

The Masters of Food and Wine. Carmel, California.  The Highlands Inn.  408-373-2335.   The first year I attended the Masters I decided I wanted to be a regular.  I'd rather have a "series" ticket for this than 50-yard line Dallas Cowboys tickets -- even if they were in the Super Bowl.

  Chefs and wines from around the world are flown in for this culinary Olympics.  One year, the Weingut Gunderloch from the Rhine Valley, Germany brought two cases of a wine of which only ten cases were produced.  Baron Eric de Rothschild brought a wine from 1906.

 But the piece de resistance was the Saturday night Grand Finale dessert by New York Le Cirque's Jacques Torres.  Imagine a piece of cake encased in a chocolate stove with two chocolate mini-pans on chocolate burners.  The pans were filled with raspberry and mango sauces to pour over the cake.  It took five hours each to create the chocolate stoves for 170 decadently lucky diners.

 Tip:  Call now for the brochure that is a great read.  Reserve soon because this event sells out fast with returning regulars.

 Philadelphia's The Book and the Cook. 800-537-7676.  Well- known cookbook authors design meals with Philly chefs in mid-March.  Add to the recipe the Book and the Cook Fair where about 150 food purveyors cook up delights at the Pennsylvania convention center, plus a beer tasting.

 Taos Grand Marnier Chef Ski Race.  714-557-9501 or 310-390-1662.  Taos, New Mexico.  Last Sunday in March.  Some of the best chefs in the country enjoy a day of skiing and raise money for charity.  At least you can get a little exercise here.

 Reno's West Coast Wine Competitions.  702-827-7663 or 800-FOR-RENO.  Reno, Nevada.  The first weekend in June.  More than 1,000 varieties from 268 vintners are evaluated.  The public tasting of the best wines is accompanied by signature items from several of northern Nevada's finest restaurants.

 A unique feature at this festival is a breath-o-lizer booth sponsored by the Nevada police.

Gastronomic Culinary Weekend.  The Inn at Blackberry Farms.  Walland, Tennessee.  404-971-6475 or 800-922-6475, A fabulous French gala event at the end of February in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.  One year Relais and Chateau "twinned" the Inn at Blackberry Farms and the Auberge des Templiers because of the similar qualities that the two regions share. Other pairings are equally as successful. The gourmet "foothills cuisine" is unique and special.  Guests enjoy a cooking school, demonstrations, wine tastings and discussions. Reserve early because the charming but limited rooms at the Inn at Blackberry Farm sell out far in advance.

Taste of Vail. P.O. Box 5663. Vail, Colorado 81658. (970) 926-5665  or (888) 311-5665.  If you've never had a gourmet picnic on top of a mountain, Taste of Vail will be a pinnacle experience.  Forty of Vail Valley's finest restaurants and over 60 wineries from around the world combine forces to create a celebration of food and wine.  Wine seminars, cooking classes, tasking and winemaker dinners are so tempting that you'll want to stay a few days extra to ski off the calories.  Held the weekend before the slopes close (April 2-4, 1998), it's a great finale to the season. http://www.tasteofvail.com
 

 Aspen Food and Wine Classic.  Aspen, Colorado.  303-925-1940.  Sponsored by Food and Wine magazine, the mid-June weekend event features wine tasting, food sampling, cooking demonstrations and panel discussions against the backdrop of Aspen's picturesque mountain setting.  All-star culinary cast members have included Julia Child, Marcella Hazan, Jacques Pepin and Patricia Wells.

 Texas Hill Country Wine and Chili Festival.  Austin, Texas.  512-329-0770.  Save the second weekend in April for the best blend of Texas wines, barbecue and wild game.  This annual event at the Inn of the Four Seasons raises Southwestern cooking to the level of international cuisine.  Wear your cowboy boots and something with an expandable waistline.

 Pennsylvania Dutch Food Festival.  Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 1-800-PA DUTCH (723-8824) ext. 2425.  The second Pennsylvania Dutch Food Festival will be held throughout Lancaster County from Monday, June 13 - Saturday, June 18.  Delicious food based on recipes passed down through generations of cooks tempts visitors to the Festival.  Opportunities to sample and learn the histories of famous dishes like chicken potpie, apple dumplings, shoofly pie, chicken corn soup and dried corn.

 Many of the popular Pennsylvania Dutch foods are hearty, one-pot dishes made from recipes passed down from the 17th and 18th century German settlers in Pennsylvania.

 A visit to the Pennsylvania Dutch Food Festival is a chance to see the farms that grow the food, tour the facilities that produce it, visit the markets that sell it and eat at the restaurants that prepare it.

KAPALUA WINE & FOOD SYMPOSIUM.  World famous wine makers, chefs and visitors assemble for a series of cooking demonstrations, wine tastings and gourmet meals in Kapalua, Maui at the site of a Hawaiian  pineapple plantation that evolved into a world-class resort.  Highlights include "The Grand Tasting," an alfresco sampling of over 100 wines; the popular Kapalua Seafood Festival, a savory repast of island cuisine prepared by 10 of Hawaii's hottest chefs.  This year's dates are July 17-19. Kapalua Wine Society - 800-kapalua or 808-669-0244.

 Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta.  115 East Water Street, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501.  505-982-8686.  Featuring fifty wineries from around the world, with heavy emphasis on wines from California and New Mexico. This annual event is held the third weekend in September (September 24-27).

 Besides the "Big Bottle" auction with one-of-a-kind bottles and tall cases of hard-to-get wines, there are trail ride and  campfire breakfasts and winemaker dinners at Santa Fe's top restaurants.

 When you are not tasting wine or chili, you can spend a day on the ranch in Georgia O'Keefe country and have lunch at Elizabeth Berry's spectacular ranch.  There are also Farmer's Market and Indian Pueblo Tours.

WINTER WINE ESCAPE on the Big Island, Hawaii
Just when the winter doldrums set in, it’s time for the Winter Wine Escape at the Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii . Combine the freshest ingredients with a spectacular setting at a resort originally developed by Rockefeller and you have a priceless experience. The events theme often revolves around art, a tribute to the world-class art collection on the property.

A highlight of the weekend is a chance to prepare lunch with one of the participating chefs. Groups are formed, given local ingredients and then guests compete in teams. But how can fresh lobster, papayas, pineapples, avocados add up to anything but a winner? One of my favorite events, I’d suggest going a day early or two to try the Coast Grille or the Hakone Japanese restaurant at their sister property, The Hapuna Beach Prince.

Mauna Kea Resort, 62-100 Kauna'oa Drive, Kohala Coast, Big Island of Hawaii, 96743-9706. 800-882-6060.

BANFF SPRINGS FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL. Save the last weekend in October for the Banff Food and Wine Festival. Each year a different country or region is honored in this truly international celebration. Last year there were guests from around the world enjoying wine and food from the South Africa. In 1998, Germany will be the focus of this gourmet event.

Since it often occurs over Halloween weekend, you may not be as surprised as I was to see several men in kilts at the Saturday night event. Someone explained it wasn’t just because of the wine, there are many Scots in this part of the Canadian Rockies.

The guests are returning regulars who enjoy comparing the past events. 1998 is predicted to be a very good year for the Banff Food and Wine Festival.

VINTAGE HOSPITALITY Puerto Rico

Chocolatier's Cruise.  From Ft. Lauderdale.  800-231-6378.  Calling all chocoholics!  Chocolatier Magazine hosts an annual cruise early in October.  It is more than just tasting -- including cake decorating, chocolate sculpting, a chocolate scavenger hunt (what do you look for -- chocolate-scented Kleenex or chocolate door handles?), chocolate games such as Love -- Chef's take off on the newlywed game.

 If you're really serious about chocolate, there are lectures on the business of chocolate -- from cocoa futures to owning a store. But the best-attended event is Sex and Chocolate.

 Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Celebrations.  Royal Viking Lines.  Coral Gables, Florida.  305-460-4761 or 212-308-8880.  The Maitre'd of the Royal Viking Sun is accepting reservations for four exclusive culinary cruises showcasing the creations and chefs of the renowned Le Cordon Bleu Culinary and Pastry Academy.  Guest chefs such as Paul Boucuse present food and wine lectures, demonstrations, classes and tastings.

 Brazil Nuts Culinary Tour.  (203) 259-7900.  Gastronomic adventures are the focus of Rio-born Dona Dorthea's Brazil Eating Trip, which is marketed by Brazil Nuts.

 During the 11-day culinary expedition participants take a culinary tour of Sao Paulo, Recife, Salvador and Rio de Janeiro.

 Of particular interest to gourmets will be an introduction to the national dish, feijoada, which was once a single-pot dish of black beans and scrappy, sun-dried meats made by slaves brought to Brazil to Africa.  When served with an array of condiments and a variety of sausages and meats, feijoada becomes a ritual feast taking hours to consume.

 The next thing I need to research is health clubs or spas.

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